The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-19
A CRUSADE AGAINST LIQUOR.
The Catholic Clergy of Baltimore Make an
Attack Upon the Saloon Business.

BALTIMORE. Nd, July 1S.-Rev. Edmund
Didier, of St vincent's Church. produced tre-
mendous sensation yesterday when he unex-
pectedly made vigorous attack on the saloon
keepers for violating the Sunday law, and
against the liquor traffic in general The
church was crowded to the doors. The portion
OF the city in which the church is located is
oversupplied with saloons and his congregation
includes quite a number of saloon-keepers. It
is understood that Cardinal Gibbons instigated
the attack. in conformity with DEGREES by the
recent plenary council bearing on that
subject, all of which he read. and
upon which ne based his remarks. There are"
he said, too many saloons in this parish.
There is scarcely square in which besr and
whisky signs do not meet the eye. Every man
who has nothing else to do opens tavern, ana
every vacant house is turned into q saloon to the
disgrace of this part of the city. There are too
many saloons and the number of saloons could
be decreased if a high license. say 1000 year.
was charged to open a saloon. The saloons
responsible for our young men going astray by
the thousands They spend the Sundays in
saloons, and in consequence the churches arc
empty But while the saloon keepers are to
blame for violating the Sunday laws, the greater
culprits the officers of the law who allow the
plain provisions OF the law to be 30 openly and
hagrantly trampled Indeed, there
are so,Ae saloon-keepers who openly boast
that they sell more liquor during Saturday
night tnan during all the rest or the week put
together. The police in general, the marshal,
and police commissioner, as well as the grand
jury, must DO to blame if they are not fully
aware that the Sunday law is shamefnlly broken.
No mercenary motives at the bottom of this
false blindness. Their mouths are shut, in
the time of the resurrection, when the Roman
soldiers We're silenced by money by the pat
ronage or influence at election. These paid Off
GERS of the law do not do their duty for fear of
losing their place. and thus the laws of the State
violated with impunity. The politicians
the ores to blame for this They wink
at the violators. They tolerate them. They
stop the mouths of the police
protect them il negectful in this matter. So
that beer and whisky rule the city, chiefly
through the bosses and ward politicians who
whose votes, we'll those of the saloon keep
ers, are needed at the polls to maintain their
power Sooner or later some great calamity will
be visited upon unless we keep the Sunday
more becomngiy. It is crying sin and will be
punished in visible manner unless the evil is
checked and halt is called"
In conclusion, the reverend father exhorted
all his congregation present to redouble their
prayers for better and more wholesome observ-
ance of Sunday. Father Dldier's remarks pro-
duced decided effect and talked
about by saloon-keepers throughout the
city. Some of Father Didier's par
that they are the heaviest contributors to the
church, and that some of the memorial windows
in the structure were placed in honor of saloon
keepers. Father Weber, of St. Michael's Ger
man Catholic Church. has also begun a crusade
against liquor. These attacks are Endorsed by
Cardinal Gibbons. 1t Is expected that all the
churches in the city will follow suit soon.